1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to collapsible shelter structures and, more particularly, to devices which provide temporary shelter to workers who are exposed to the environment. Specifically, the present invention relates to collapsible protective shelter devices which are both dielectric as well as fire-resistant to offer significant protection to workers who must work around high voltage electricity or in severe weather conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Utility construction and repair workers must often work in rain, snow and hot sunny weather conditions, often without shelter or other protection from the environment. These working conditions can be on the ground surface or in utility lift buckets which are used to enable the work crews to access high wire connections or terminal boxes. Such working situations expose the workers to extreme environmental conditions which can be detrimental to the workers.
As a result, the present practice that is used to provide some environmental protection to such work crews is to employ a large but conventional, six-sided umbrella on a metal or wooden pole for protection from the elements. Such umbrella structures generally use a nylon or canvas canopy material held in place by metal ribs and other metal structural members which provide structural strength in harsh environmental conditions. Examples of typical general umbrella structures are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,692,035, 5,555,903 and 5,765,582. Alternatively, portable pop-up shelters similar to conventional tents for use on utility lift buckets or directly on the ground surface may also be used. These umbrellas or pop-up shelters generally provide sufficient shelter for a single person, although a work crew of two is somewhat cramped. To address the size problem, an alternate shelter assembly is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,919 wherein several umbrella-type assemblies are secured together to provide a substantially larger size conventional environmental shelter for use on the ground surface.
Regardless of the size or shape of the shelters provided by the various prior art schemes, there is a definite deficiency in protection for the workers in certain working situations. Utility workers frequently work in severe weather situations where power has been interrupted by storms and the like. Such situations should include protection and shelter from not only the environment in general but also the presence of electricity in the form of lightning strikes or from high voltage sources. In the cases where utility workers must work out-of-doors during such severe thunderstorms, lightning strikes offer significant risk which has not yet been addressed by the prior art shelter devices. Moreover, such utility workers are constantly being exposed to high wire voltage sources. Finally, sparks and flying embers are a significant fire hazard to which utility workers are also exposed when working outside. Such sparks and embers can originate from lightning strikes, high wire shorts, residential or industrial fires, and the like. While prior shelter devices have been devised to provide general protection from the sun and the rain, there is still a need for protective shelter devices that not only provide such general environmental protection, but will also provide protection to workers from electrical sources and fire hazards.